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All qualifications and part qualifications registered on the National Qualifications Framework are public property. Thus the only payment that can be made for them is for service and reproduction. It is illegal to sell this material for profit. If the material is reproduced or quoted, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) should be acknowledged as the source. |
| SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY |
| REGISTERED QUALIFICATION: |
| Advanced Occupational Diploma: Senior Government Official |
| SAQA QUAL ID | QUALIFICATION TITLE | |||
| 121166 | Advanced Occupational Diploma: Senior Government Official | |||
| ORIGINATOR | ||||
| Development Quality Partner - PSETA | ||||
| PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY | NQF SUB-FRAMEWORK | |||
| - | OQSF - Occupational Qualifications Sub-framework | |||
| QUALIFICATION TYPE | FIELD | SUBFIELD | ||
| Advanced Occupational Dip | Field 03 - Business, Commerce and Management Studies | Public Administration | ||
| ABET BAND | MINIMUM CREDITS | PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL | NQF LEVEL | QUAL CLASS |
| Undefined | 244 | Not Applicable | NQF Level 07 | Regular-ELOAC |
| REGISTRATION STATUS | SAQA DECISION NUMBER | REGISTRATION START DATE | REGISTRATION END DATE | |
| Registered | EXCO 0820/23 | 2023-11-14 | 2028-11-14 | |
| LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT | LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT | |||
| 2029-11-14 | 2032-11-14 | |||
| In all of the tables in this document, both the pre-2009 NQF Level and the NQF Level is shown. In the text (purpose statements, qualification rules, etc), any references to NQF Levels are to the pre-2009 levels unless specifically stated otherwise. |
This qualification does not replace any other qualification and is not replaced by any other qualification. |
| PURPOSE AND RATIONALE OF THE QUALIFICATION |
| Purpose:
The purpose of this qualification is to prepare a learner to function as a Senior Government Official. A Senior Government Official plans, organises, directs, controls, manages, monitors, and evaluates the overall activities of municipal or local, regional and national, and provincial government departments, boards, agencies, or commissions in accordance with legislation, ethical parameters, procedures and policies established by the government and legislative bodies. Typical graduate character attributes include, among others, proficiency, efficiency, integrity, and high moral and ethical standards. A qualified learner will be able to: Rationale: Employment in the public sector is highly regulated to ensure that the implementation of Government policies is carried out according to a variety of legislation and regulations. Additionally, one of the aims of the Government is to have a professionalised public sector for a developmental state. To achieve this, several public sector qualifications were envisaged by stakeholders through a consultative process. This is an NQF Level 7 qualification which is a step-up from the Occupational Diploma: General Manager Public Service, at NQF Level 6, which is a qualification that aims at providing the junior and middle manager cadre within the public service with the requisite knowledge, skills, and attitude to serve in the public sector across both different functional units and departments and all spheres of government. The qualification meets the needs of Middle Management Services (MMS). The qualification is part of the trajectory of public sector qualifications and constitutes a step up from the above-mentioned qualification. It is a realignment of the legacy qualification National Diploma: Public Administration (SAQA ID: 57827) at NQF Level 7, currently being used to train those in senior administrative and executive positions in government. According to the latest 'Public Sector Education and Training Authority (PSETA) Final Sector Skills Plan, the Senior Government Official qualification is included in the 'PSETA Sectoral Priority Occupations and Interventions (SPOI) List. The PSETA SSP document further states that the Senior Government Official (SGO) occupation refers to Directors, Chief Directors, and Deputy Director Generals in the Public Service sector. Hence, this qualification is also an enabling instrument to transition MMS into Senior Management Services (SMS) in the public sector. There is an urgency to realign the legacy qualification to train senior and executive managers and advance the public sector professionalisation project. The SGO plays a leadership role in achieving public sector goals and is fully responsible and accountable for the performance of their section or unit. The Advanced Occupational Diploma: Senior Government Official covers a large spectrum of competencies designed to upskill typical learners who will currently be incumbents in the public service and those at the middle management level and wish to move into senior or executive management within the public sector. Some of the more significant competencies, inter alia, are managing public value delivery within the broader market economy, strategically leading public sector change, managing policy, programme and public sector development management framework design and implementation, public sector project and human resources management, and strengthening ethics in the public sector. This qualification will enhance the ability of the qualifying learner to perform the necessary strategic, operational, and administration tasks expected, as well as to improve public sector delivery. The qualifying learner will function with confidence and greater skill within the three spheres of government, agencies, and parastatals. Senior Government Officials advise the government on policy matters and oversee government departments, agencies, and parastatals' interpretation and implementation of government policies, processes, and legislation. Society will benefit from improvements to public sector delivery, as will the economy. The learner will have the requisite skills to achieve public sector goals and targets efficiently and effectively. Consultation with relevant stakeholders had taken place prior to developing this qualification. There is no similar occupational qualification registered on the NQF, and no professional registration, membership or licensing is required for this qualification. |
| LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING |
| Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL):
Entry Requirements: The minimum entry requirement for this qualification is: |
| RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING? |
| Y |
| QUALIFICATION RULES |
| This qualification is made up of compulsory Knowledge, Practical Skill and Work Experience Modules:
Knowledge Modules: Total number of credits for Knowledge Modules: 80 Practical Skill Modules: Total number of credits for Practical Skill Modules: 83 Work Experience Modules: Total number of credits for Work Experience Modules: 81 |
| EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES |
| 1. Conceptualise, design, implement and evaluate public sector and participatory policies, programmes, and a public sector development management framework.
2. Deliver public value and lead public sector change. 3. Conduct and fulfil management functions required to deliver public value. 4. Integrate public administration under the rule of law. 5. Strengthen and implement sustainable public sector ethical practices and use knowledge to promote the achievement of public sector goals. 6. Conduct research and integrate qualitative and quantitative information, methods, and evidence to support decision-making in the public sector. 7. Analyse and apply administrative provisions to regionalism, decentralisation, and governance. 8. Apply knowledge of the indigenisation of African philosophies. |
| ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA |
| Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1:
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2: Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3: Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4: Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5: Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 6: Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 7: Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 8: Integrated Assessment: Formative Assessment The Skills Development Providers will use the curriculum to guide them on the stipulated internal assessment criteria and weighting. They will also apply the scope of practical skills and applied knowledge as stipulated by the internal assessment criteria. This formative assessment leads to entrance into the integrated External Summative Assessment. Summative Assessment An External Integrated Summative Assessment, conducted through the relevant QCTO Assessment Quality Partner is required to issue this qualification. The External Integrated Summative Assessment will focus on the Exit Level Outcomes and Associated Assessment Criteria. Additional to the written assessment the learner must also submit a portfolio of evidence compiled of outcomes achieved in the workplace. |
| INTERNATIONAL COMPARABILITY |
| This qualification was compared to the following international qualifications:
An international comparability study is undertaken to identify qualifications similar to this qualification in terms of scope, cognitive levels, and content of the curricula. This exercise aims to benchmark the Senior Government Official qualification against comparable qualifications in two other countries, namely, Canada and New Zealand. Canada McGill University offers the Diploma in Public Administration and Governance, a graduate-level qualification designed to help students gain the critical competencies, skills, and knowledge to begin a career in the public sector or advance their current careers. With a focus on the day-to-day operations, decisions, systems, and finances in a public organization, the curriculum aims to strengthen students' managerial and leadership competencies and equip them with the knowledge, analytical skills, and problem-solving strategies critical for success in public service organizations. It also aims to formalise functional skills necessary for effective management within the public sector. The qualification will prepare a student to: As a prerequisite for admission, the diploma has an undergraduate degree (or its equivalent) in any discipline. Applicants must hold a Bachelor's degree in any discipline. The modules include: Similarities The Senior Government Official qualification compares very favourably with the qualification outlined above. There is extensive overlap in terms of modules and competencies, as shown below: Differences The South African qualification is much more extensive in theory. It also has practical skills and workplace components not part of the Canadian qualification. The qualification has a qualification that is given partial emphasis in the SGO qualification, Lean Operations in Public Services. The duration for the Canadian qualification is, however, not mentioned. New Zealand The Victoria University of Wellington offers a Postgraduate Certificate in Public Management in New Zealand. Entry requirements include a bachelor's degree and at least two years of relevant work experience in the public sector. This is 120 points (equivalent to 120 credits in South Africa). The qualification requirements for the Postgraduate Certificate in Public Management include, firstly, obtaining 60 points and must include four modules from the following: Secondly, obtaining a further 60 points (equivalent to 60 credits in South Africa) from a number of management-related modules, some of which are listed below: Similarities There is extensive overlap between the SGO and the New Zealand qualification, as shown in terms of the content with regards to the modules such as Public Managers and the Policy Process, Managing Public Resources, Managing People in the Public Sector, Leading Change in Public and Community Organisations, Research Skills for Public Managers, Policy and Management Practice Policy Methods and Practice, Policy Analysis and Advising, Implementation and Service Delivery, and 'An Introduction to Quantitative Analysis for Public Policy'. Differences The New Zealand Postgraduate Certificate in Public Management consists of the modules such as Managing for Results, Government and Governing, Economics and Policy, and Comparative Public Management, which are not part of the SA Advanced Occupational Diploma: Senior Government Official. The other difference is the number of credits; the South African qualification carries far more credits by virtue of the practical skills and work experience modules. Conclusion Both the above-mentioned international qualifications compare well with the South African occupational qualification, with the New Zealand Postgraduate Certificate in Public Management being the most favourable in terms of content coverage. |
| ARTICULATION OPTIONS |
| This qualification provides opportunities for horizontal and vertical articulation options.
Horizontal Articulation: Vertical Articulation: Diagonal Articulation |
| NOTES |
| Qualifying for External Assessment:
To qualify for an external assessment, learners must provide proof of completion of all required knowledge and practical modules by means of statements of results and a record of completed work experience. Additional Legal or Physical Entry Requirements: Criteria for the accreditation of providers: Accreditation of providers will be done against the criteria as reflected in the relevant curriculum on the QCTO website. The curriculum title and code are: Senior Government Official: 111204-000-00-00. Encompassed Trade: Assessment Quality Partner (AQP) |
| LEARNING PROGRAMMES RECORDED AGAINST THIS QUALIFICATION: |
| NONE |
| PROVIDERS CURRENTLY ACCREDITED TO OFFER THIS QUALIFICATION: |
| This information shows the current accreditations (i.e. those not past their accreditation end dates), and is the most complete record available to SAQA as of today. Some Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionaries have a lag in their recording systems for provider accreditation, in turn leading to a lag in notifying SAQA of all the providers that they have accredited to offer qualifications and unit standards, as well as any extensions to accreditation end dates. The relevant Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionary should be notified if a record appears to be missing from here. |
| NONE |
| All qualifications and part qualifications registered on the National Qualifications Framework are public property. Thus the only payment that can be made for them is for service and reproduction. It is illegal to sell this material for profit. If the material is reproduced or quoted, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) should be acknowledged as the source. |